Masters degree vs. masters degree
- Thread starter bluejester12
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The simple answer is mostly you don't:
I have a master's degree in English. In this case, only English is capitalized. Don't forget the apostrophe.
I have a master's degree in history. Nothing capitalized except the initial letter beginning the sentence.
I hope this helps kick off the discussion. Capital letters seem to bring about emotions.
I want to say in formal documents like grants I usually saw it capitalized, but I don't pay as much attention as I should when I'm flitting through life, it seems :-(
Really, sadly, not sure....where's Medi when you need her? Pretty sure she has like six degrees, one must be a Masters (or masters)
Really, sadly, not sure....where's Medi when you need her? Pretty sure she has like six degrees, one must be a Masters (or masters)
I responded to an example of writing a sentence. If you mean a document such as a diploma, that's another thing. Mine from Idaho State reads:
to the degree of
Master of Arts
English
Master of Arts
English
Generic references are uncapitalized (he has a master's degree). Specific instances are capitalized (he has a Master of Fine Arts degree). Don't remember which style book addresses that issue, but CMOS probably has it.
The only specific instance I can see for such caps would be as part of a title: Henry Hornbloom, Master of Fine Arts. When discussing it at a faculty tea: Hank has a master's degree, some useless thing I think in fine arts or maybe English.
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Chicago style is to use lowercase when referred to generically, as in the above examples. Otherwise use capital letters set off by commas following a name. For instance:
F. Scott Fitzgerald, MFA, attended Oxford University.
Nikola Tesla, MS, attended Graz University of Technology.
F. Scott Fitzgerald, MFA, attended Oxford University.
Nikola Tesla, MS, attended Graz University of Technology.
Cool. How about the use of plural and the apostrophe?
Ex. My son would like to get a master's degree, maybe in business.
Ex. My son would like to get a master's degree, maybe in business.
According to CMOS, it's Master's degree when referring to the graduate school diploma. The first letters of specific degrees are capitalized: M.A., M.S., Ph.D., M.D., etc.
The confusion comes from different uses. CMoS 8.32 says degrees are expressed in lower case when in a sentence. The example is “master of business administration (MBA).” Of course the degree expressed as initials are capitalized.
CMoS 15.21 shows “Master of Business Administration” when a title is printed on a diploma (see my example in Post #4), a résumé, etc.
In your example, the apostrophe shows a single degree belongs to a master.
If the son were studying for two degrees, the parent might say, "My son would like to get two degrees, maybe a master's in business and a master's in history." Something like masters' degrees would muddy the water even more.
To refer to a specific single degree, it's a possessive "master's", not a plural.
caw